Lilli Reynolds, 7, crosses her fingers as the winners of the raffle are announced during the “Where is Waldo” wrap-up party at Givens Books in Lynchburg, Va. Reynolds’ mother, Heidi, won the adult grand prize, which consisted of gift cards and Waldo books. The month-long “Where is Waldo” event raised awareness of local businesses as children and adults searched for cutouts of Waldo hidden among stores.
Erin Alburger, 11, participates in a staring exercise as the students learn how to become clowns during Randolph’s WildCat Theatre Conservatory at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Va.
Chris Wharton stretches before participating in the Drag Race on Queens Way during Saturday’s Hampton Block Party. Four teams representing different charities ran down Queens Way in heats dressed in drag.
A carnival patron tests his strength as he raises a hammer in an attempt to ring the bell during opening night of the 90th annual Chincoteague Volunteer Fireman’s Carnival on Firday, June 26, 2015.
Harold Cox watches his 7-year-old great-grandson Austyn Balton who lives in the nearby town of Draper, play on the tire swing on Friday, May 29, 2015. Harold and his wife, Opal Cox grew up and raised their family in Pulaski. They hope for their great grandchildren to have good jobs even if it means they can’t stay nearby.
Ashley Hill, 24, of Roanoke and John Joplin, 74, of Rocky Mount, make calls from their cars while waiting to be rescued from a Roanoke Fire-EMS swift water rescue team on Tuesday after 9:30 p.m. on Bennington Street SE.
A pair of juvenile sandbar sharks, bottom, swim in a temporary holding tank on a boat near Parramore Island on Thursday, July 9, 2015 while Rich Brill looks over the water. Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory is conducting experiments on the segments of the sharks’ circulatory system. A team of four left the lab on Thursday morning to catch several sharks for experimental purposes.
The District Valley cross country meet was called off for lightning before the boys could run at Shamrock Farms on Wednesday, September 9.
As VIMS research tech, Joe Cope, drives a boat in the York river phytoplankton known as dinoflagellates glow in its. The algae are a plant the blooms when conditions are right in the water usually duinrg the summer months.
Devin Bailey, 9, plays with a toy Elmo doll while sitting on a couch at his father’s home in Troutville Wednesday evening, Aug. 12, 2015. Devin cannot communicate basic information like his name, age or address and cannot count to ten, says his father Jimmy. Bailey has autism and Down Syndrome and attended Troutville Elementary School.
Norfolk’s DeAndre Sangster manages to catch this first quarter pass as he is hit by Hampton’s Chaka Diarrassouba during the first quarter Saturday September 26, 2015 in Norfolk.
Hampton University coach Connell Maynor argues a call during the third quarter against Norfolk state Saturday September 26, 2015 in Norfolk.
James Madison University r-senior Deane Cheatham (37) looses his helmet as he gets taken down by the Lehigh defense during their game at JMUÕs Bridgeforth Stadium on Saturday, September 12, 2015.
Hillcats centerfielder Clint Frazier dives and catches a line drive during Carolina League action at City Stadium.
Irving Jarvis, a World War II Army veteran, will turn 90 years old on Saturday, July 4, 2015. Jarvis plans to celebrate with family and friends at his home in Eastville, Va.
Kisha Johnson stands inside her Pinewood Heights home Wednesday afternoon. Smithfield is halfway through a redevelopment project to relocate residents in the neighborhood and raze the houses to develop an industrial park.
George Rogers was a prisoner of war for almost four years in Japan during WWII.”It was my job to dig graves. In that grave we would bury ten soldiers,” said Rogers, who helped bury 1,600 Americans in just four months. The Japanese government has invited Rogers, along with other surviving POW’s, to take a tour of modern Japan to foster forgiveness.
George “Art” Plumador, 91, of Malone, N.Y., examines the restored Curtiss SB2C Helldiver he flew during World War II at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., on Monday, August 10, 2015. Plumador served as a radio operator and gunner aboard the dive bomber.
Darren Crihfield waits with his friend who is competing in the 7800 Light Pro Stock class at the 9th Annual Truck & Tractor Pull on August 29, 2015. Those participating in the pull come from all over the East Cost. “most of the guys that pull are related to farming or constructions where they use tractors and tucks,” said organizer Ed Sims.
Stacey Gatrell takes a selfie with the Chincoteague Pony she won during the 90th annual Chincoteague Pony Auction on Thursday, July 30, 2015. A portion of the wild pony herd is auctioned off to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and maintains the herd.
A Chincoteague Pony foal waits to be sold at auction on Thursday, July 30, 2015. Each year a portion of the Chincoteague Pony herd is auctioned off to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and maintains the herd.
Bristol Rayne, 4, sports pink boots while watching the 90th annual Chincoteague Pony Auction with Vaughn Rayne on Thursday, July 30, 2015.
A Chincoteague Pony foal rears back on its handlers as it is shown at auction on Thursday, July 30, 2015. Each year a portion of the Chincoteague Pony herd is auctioned off to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and maintains the herd.
Emily Broeker, right, celebrates with her friend Emma Sykes after placing the winning bid on a Chincoteague Pony foal during the 90th annual Chincoteague Pony Auction on Thursday, July 30, 2015. Each year a portion of the Chincoteague Pony herd is auctioned off to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and maintains the herd.
Spectators watch the 90th annual Chincoteague Pony Auction at the Chincoteague Carnival Grounds on Thursday, July 30, 2015. A portion of the wild herd is auctioned each year to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and maintains the herd.
Packs of cigarettes are neatly placed between two Chincoteague Pony holding pens during the 90th annual Chincoteague Pony Auction on Thursday, July 30, 2015.
Ellis Savage, right, places his hand on the nose of a Chincoteague Pony foal to calm it before bringing it out for auction on Thursday, July 30, 2015. Each year a portion of the Chincoteague Pony herd is auctioned off to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and maintains the herd.
Timothy Nettles reads a book outside The Valley Mission, relaxing with his family and other residents on Aug. 8, 2015. The 13-year-old fears people at his school finding out that he’s homeless. “They treat me differently,Ó he said. ÒThey make fun of me because I am at a shelter.”
Constance Nettles pushes her daughter, Olivia Nettles, 7, on a swing outside The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015. Constance is unable to work because of a physical disability and the family has been living on one income.
John and Constance Nettles share a kiss outside The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015. The couple’s moments of intimacy are brief as John says they are expected to refrain from public displays of affection inside the shelter walls.
Timothy Nettles, 13, jokes around with his dad, John Nettles, as they pass time after dinner before being able to get back into their rooms at The Valley Mission in Staunton on Aug. 8, 2015.
John Nettles, right, looks on as his children watch a show together on a portable DVD player in the play room at The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015. “I wanted to try and make my kids feel at home,” said Nettles, describing how he brought a TV into the shelter but had to take it out of their room due to one of the organization’s policies. “There’s a lot of things that you can’t have, but I still try anyway.”
Nichols Nettles, 10, looks down from a tree after climbing into the foliage outside The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015.
John Nettles sets down dinner plates for his family and others who eat separately from the single men at The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015.
John Nettles serves dinner to his children, Christian Nettles, 5, left, and Olivia Nettles, 7, in the cafeteria at The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015. ÒI want a better life for them,Ó said John, ÒI never thought this would happen to me.Ó
Olivia Nettles hugs her mom, Constance Nettles, after the 7-year-old took a tumble playing with her brothers outside The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015.
Christian Nettles, 5, tosses blocks at his dad, John Nettles, as they play together alongside 1-year-old Annabelle Thompson, another resident at The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015.
John and Constance Nettles pack up clothes as they prepare to leave The Valley Mission after John was offered a job out of state on Aug. 8, 2015.
John Nettles paints his daughter’s nails in the play room at The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015.
Olivia Nettles, 7, plays Candy Crush on her mom’s phone inside their room at The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015.
John Nettles kisses his son Christian Nettles, 5, goodnight in a family room at The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015. Although his wife and children are able to stay in the room together, John must sleep in the men’s dormitory at the shelter.
At the end of the day John and Constance Nettles relax with their son, Nicholas Nettles, 10, in the play room at The Valley Mission on Aug. 8, 2015.
Leslie Jordan often reads a book in the evenings to 23-year-old Khamani Jones. The story on May 21 was about dinosaurs, one of KhamaniÕs favorite toys. He moved in with Leslie and Kevin Jordan two years ago when she agreed to foster adults with autism through Lutheran Family ServicesÕ home caregiver program. Khamani could do very little for himself before the Jordans began teaching him how to help in the kitchen, take out the trash, make his bed and eat healthier foods.
Each morning during the school year, Khamani Jones ran to the living room window to watch for the school bus to take him to the Minnick SchoolÕs Starkey Station. Lutheran Family Services created the school to help teens with autism transition into adulthood. Khamani graduated in May. Minnick wants to create additional services to help adults with developmental disabilities become more independent.
Khamani Jones does a word-find puzzle at the kitchen table of his home with the Jordans on Saturday, May 2, 2015. Leslie Jordan said he is a quick learner and great helper around the house.
Jonathan Linkous (left) and Khamani Jones play in the grass at Starkey Park on Friday, May 22, 2015 during a graduation end-of-the-year picnic hosted by their school. The Minnick SchoolÕs Starkey Station works with teenagers with autism when their public schools are unable to help them. The school has two eight-student classrooms and is seeking to expand.
Khamani Jones (center), 23, and Larry Black, 60, feed a horse an apple at Healing Strides in Boones Mill. Foster parents Leslie and Kevin Jordan took them to the farm on Saturday May, 2, 2015, one of many outings the Jordans schedule to help Khamani learn and grow more independent.
Khamani Jones washes tables in the canteen of the Salem VA Medical Center on Monday, May 5, 2015. As part of the school day, Minnick School teachers take students to job sites so they can learn vocational skills that might be attractive to employers.
Jonathan Moralde, a teaching assistant at the Minnick SchoolÕs Starkey Station, helps Khamani Jones find a game to play on the computer in Roanoke on Thursday, May 21, 2015.
Khamani Jones does a crossword puzzle with his caretaker Leslie Jordan at his side in the kitchen of their home in Roanoke on Saturday May, 2, 2015. Jordan encourages Khamani to learn and explains that he is a quick learner and great helper around the house. Leslie has also helped Khamani to be on a healthy diet. He has lost 60 pounds since living with the Jordans. ” He’s like a whole different person.” said Leslie.
Khamani Jones puts on his graduation hat with the help of his teacher Katie Lineback before his graduation celebration on Friday, May 22, 2015 at Starkey Park. Khamani attended the Minnick SchoolÕs Starkey Station, which helps teens with autism.
VNPA 
Love the lightning with the school bus shot!
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